Medical Marijuana Scores in Latest Colorado Court Case

Deck

As green lights for medical marijuana dispensaries seemed to signal approval just about everywhere in Colorado in early 2009, it wasn't long before local governments began to crack down. They turned to municipal zoning laws and red tape, looking for ways to shut the dispensaries down.
In Centennial, officials shuttered CannaMart, despite its valid business license, with the city arguing that marijuana distribution is illegal under federal law, writes Westword. But Arapahoe County District Judge Christopher Cross has now ruled against Centennial, stating that officials cannot stand in the way of the distribution of medical marijuana to patients, an act that is legal under the Colorado Constitution.
The plaintiffs' lawyer, Robert J. Corry Jr., says the case could impact similar situations in other cities and set important precedents: "This is so much bigger than medical marijuana. It's about whether a local government can circumvent a voter-approved state constitutional amendment to prohibit an entire industry from operating at all" (via The Huffington Post). But if you live in Breckenridge, you don't even need a prescription to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. The ski town legalized adult possession of marijuana by a 3-1 vote. The law goes into effect on January 1, notes 7News.